Books, Baths, and Rum
by xpiester333x
Summary: Nothing went right on Nami's birthday. Between a Marine's attack and a sudden storm, her day has pretty much been ruined for her. All she wants is to be able to enjoy the last bits of if with a nice bath, and maybe her friends know how to save the last of her day.


_A quick fic to celebrate the birthday of my favorite Straw Hat lady, the precious navigator, Nami-swan 3_

* * *

Nami just wanted a bath, a good book, and maybe a drink. Preferably all three at the same time. She didn't think that was so much to ask; it was, after all, her birthday. If she could enjoy even a few moments of it, that would be enough.

She had to give her nakama credit for trying. Sanji had baked a cake and prepared an extravagant meal with all of her favorites, a meal that then went cold when they'd been spotted by a Marine battleship. It was fortunate they had avoided sinking, though the cannonballs had managed to do enough damage by sending her birthday cake to the floor. Luffy saw to it that the cake wouldn't be wasted, and Sanji promised a replacement, but that put an end to their celebratory meal.

The others had tried to fix the ruined birthday meal with a party. Robin and Usopp hung streamers and a banner that Usopp had painted himself. They placed small tables on deck, covering them with ornate table cloths and small candles. Franky built a small gazebo, using some spare wood, and even carved intricate and lovely designs into it. Nami had been forbidden from helping and banished to the navigation office while they prepared, but it looked like they were really going all out for her, and the thought made her really happy.

And then the storm came and washed all of their efforts overboard. The sky darkened suddenly as it did now and then on the Grand Line, and Robin came to tell her about the change in the wind. What followed after was nearly three hours of constant shouting orders, torrential rain, and waves that towered over their little ship.

Nami was glad none of them had been washed overboard, though there had been a close call with Chopper once. Everyone was safe by the end of the storm, but their disappointment when they saw what had become of their decorations was palpable. Everyone was exhausted, and no one much felt like trying again so late in the evening. Nami didn't blame them, and she accepted their birthday wishes with a content smile before they filtered off to bed.

There was still a little time left though, and maybe she could still pamper herself in the time that remained. They'd sailed through the storm, and the weather was stable, and a quick scan of the horizon told her there were no Marine ships approaching. Yes, now was the perfect time for a bath.

She headed to the galley first to see about that drink. She knew Sanji locked the liquor cabinet at night to keep Zoro from stealing all the booze away, but Nami was hoping she could at least pick the lock and take her pick of the fine collection of wines and liquors that Sanji collected from every island.

When she entered the galley, she was surprised to see the light was still on, though she'd seen Sanji go to bed already. Maybe Luffy was sneaking snacks again? But the refrigerator was shut and locked tight, and the galley was silent aside from the hum of the electric lights on the ceiling. If Luffy really were here, she would have heard him already. Stealth was never his strong suit.

Taking a few tentative steps into the galley revealed nothing to her, and she brushed it off as Sanji's forgetfulness. He rarely made such a mistake, but the day had been especially exhausting for him. He'd been the one to get up early to make her a birthday feast, after all. She dismissed her suspicions and moved toward the liquor cabinet, pausing only when she noticed a slip of paper lying on the galley table.

Curiously, she stepped towards it, picking it up when she noticed her name written at the top in a fancy script.

"_Nami-swan __️ ~~_

_There is a parfait for you in the fridge if you find yourself in need of a treat! And if you need a treat of another kind, please don't hesitate to wake me as I am only alive to service your every need._

_Love, your prince_"

She sighed, placing the letter back on the table. Sanji's good intentions were nearly always blackened by his perversion. Still, she wouldn't say no to a treat like that, and she happily popped the lock on the fridge. The parfait was a beautiful work of art in chocolate and tangerine slices. She licked her lips at the mere sight of it and happily brought it with her to the liquor cabinet.

As she expected, there was a lock on the door, but there was also a note taped to the wooden door above it.

"_Shit-cook always locks it, but the code is your __birthday, and__ there is a bottle of something good on the top shelf in the middle, tucked behind some of the cook's stupid wine. From me to you._

_-Zoro_"

Nami smiled, slightly touched. She loved Zoro like a brother, but he was also easy to tease, and she took advantage of that whenever possible. She expected him to hate her by this point, so a kind gesture like this made her feel warm. Maybe she would consider lowering his debt, just a bit.

The bottle Zoro had left for her was relatively inexpensive but well made rum. She took it down from the shelf happily, carefully replacing any misplaced items when she was finished. She closed and locked the cabinet once more, peeling Zoro's note away so that Sanji wouldn't find it the next morning. It was the least she could do.

The library was still dark when she arrived, but when she flicked on the light, a sheet of paper written on by messy handwriting sat out in plain sight. It sat propped against a stack of books, and she picked it up curiously.

"_Nami -__  
I got you a few new books at the last island. Don't worry! I bought them with my own money! I hope you'll enjoy them, and happy birthday!_

_- Captain Usopp_"

Below the note was a small doodle of her by her tangerine trees. She was wearing a brilliant smile as she pulled one of the fruits down from its branch. For a simple drawing, it was both beautiful and flattering, and Nami pressed the paper between the pages of a book on the desk for safe keeping. She looked over the books Usopp got her; they were mostly books about navigating and map making, useful and up-to-date with their information. The last one was an anthology of navigator tales, from freak storms to odd sea creatures, and Nami took this one with her to the bath. It looked both informative and interesting, and after weathering a bad storm today, it might be useful for the future.

The air in the bath was thick and moist already, a cloud of steam hovering in the air. Nami wondered who had been here last that would have left it in such a state. She felt a little disappointed, she'd been hoping to be able to draw her bath and enjoy, cleaning up after someone else was not in her plans.

She set the book, her parfait, and the rum down on the counter, prepared to have to drain the tub for fresh water, but there was yet another note stuck to the mirror.

"_Nami,_

_I took the liberty of drawing you a bath. I hope you can enjoy the remainder of your birthday._

_Love, Robin_"

It was written in elegant, almost calligraphic writing, and below that in a smaller, less legible handwriting.

"_Nami  
I made up a new kind if herbal mixture for your bath. It's good for your skin and helps you relax. That should be okay, right?  
Chopper_

_P.S. Just WAIT till you try Franky's new invention! It's soo cool!"_

Nami looked curiously at the tub. There was a blue paper stuck onto the side near what appeared to be a button. She grabbed up her things, moving closer to investigate. In white ink and a handwriting that was undeniably Franky's messy scrawl, was written:

"_Press the button and have a SUUUPER birthday bath!"_

She looked curiously at the button and then into the tub, trying to discover what it might do. Unfortunately, thanks to Chopper's herbal mixture, the water was too murky to see through. She'd just have to press the button and hope for the best, but she was confident that Franky wouldn't make anything that would _hurt_ her.

She set her things on the edge of the tub, well away from the water so that they wouldn't end up ruined, and after quickly stripping off her clothing, she climbed in. The water was perfect, hot but not too hot, and it gave off the faint smell of citrus and something light and floral.

Cautiously, she reached out and pressed the button. At once the water bubbled and rippled as small jets shot water out beneath the surface. It started Nami at first, especially since she couldn't see what was happening under the water, but a few moments assessment told her what Franky had done.

The jets shot water out in thick streams, hard enough to have some force but still gentle against her skin. It worked wonders on her aching muscles, and it only took her a moment to relax into the water as start in on the parfait Sanji had made for her. It was every bit as delicious as it looked, and she felt spoiled getting to eat such a lovely treat while being so relaxed in the hot water.

It was after she'd taken her first sip of rum and cracked open the first page of her book that the music started. It was quiet, distant, and yet a lovely, melodic tune played on the violin. There was only one musician Nami knew that could put such life into his music, and now he was playing that music just for her from the crow's nest. She smiled in spite of herself. She really was being spoiled today.

Brook's music continued through the rest of her bath, and even after when she began to clean up the remains of her relaxing birthday bath. She returned the book to the library and the emptied parfait dish and rum bottle to the kitchen, Brook's violin accompanying her every step. It might have been the rum or maybe the relaxing bath, but she felt as if she were floating with every step she took.

Nami opened the door to the girl's bunk, quietly and carefully so as not to disturb Robin. She crept carefully toward the bed, pulling the covers back to climb in, but something on top of the blankets had stopped her. She felt for it, tracing the rough but familiar feeling of woven straw with her fingers.

"Luffy left that for you," Robin said sleepily. She startled Nami slightly when she turned to face her. "He said you can take care of it until morning."

Nami laughed lightly, picking the straw hat up. She climbed into the bed next to Robin and laid the straw hat across her chest.

"It's an honor," she said aloud.

Robin giggled, rolling closer to Nami and touching the straw hat lightly with her fingertips. "It certainly is," she said, lying down once more. "Happy birthday, Nami."

"It was," Nami beamed. "Goodnight, Robin."


End file.
